Daily Diet  •  Home Examination  •  Bird Droppings  •  Wing Trimming  •  Nail Trimming
	PERFORMING A HOME EXAMINATION
	Examine the following:   Posture • Standing up straight or slouched over? • Wings held high or close to the body? • Bearing weight equally on both legs? • Head up? • Eyes open wide? • Any abnormal swelling or deformities?   Mental Alertness • Aware of their surroundings? • Aware of your presence? • A sick bird may initially perk up at the sight of you, but then in a very short time become listless again.   Balance • Is the bird perching or resting on the cage floor?  This is related to the strength of the bird. • Rarely do healthy birds fall or slip of their perch!   Feathering • Note the condition and color. • Are they shiny or faded? • Are they well-groomed or ragged?   Skin • Any bruising or swelling noted?   Breathing • Is it short and easy or labored? • Prolonged open-mouthed breathing or tail bobbing? • Any sneezing or coughing?     From a short distance, observe the nature of the breathing.  Respirations should flow easily and appear smooth.  Problems to watch for include: open mouth breathing, panting while at rest and the excessive bobbing up and down of the tail.   Listen for strange sounds.  Sneezing can be pronounced like an "achoo" or it can be as subtle as a soft "click".  Coughing can also occur.   After exercise, any heavy breathing should return to normal within two minutes or so.   The nostrils should both be open and the area around them clean.  There should be no swelling, redness or discharge.  With a cold, one or both nostrils are commonly plugged.   If the sinus become congested, they commonly cause the areas around the eyes to swell or become puffy.   If the mouth can be examined, pay particular attention to the roof.  If white cheese-like material is noticed, this can be indicative of a vitamin A deficiency.   If the syrinx becomes inflamed, talking may cease or hoarseness may occur.  This may also result from a sore throat.   Infection of the air sacs is difficult to diagnose, but is often a cause of a lingering respiratory problem.   CAUTION: ALWAYS USE CAUTION WHEN HANDLING BIRDS WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS!  KEEP HANDLING TIMES SHORT TO MINIMIZE STRESS!!     Also: Be sure to check out our notes on Bird Droppings.
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